33 
.67 

A64 



EULOGY 



ON 

us® &ataa»29»- 

AS PRONOUNCED AT THE ODE ON, 

IN FEDERAL STREET, BOSTON, 
BY THE REV. WIULIAM APES, AN INDIAN. 



Who shall stand in after years in this famous temple, and declare 
that Indians are not men ? if men, then heirs to the same inheritance. 



BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 

1836. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year one 
thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, by William Apes, 
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



ADDRESS, &c. 



I do not arise to spread before you the fame of a 
noted warrior, whose natural abilities shone like those of 
the great and mighty Phillip of Greece, or of Alex- 
ander the Great, or like those of Washington, — 
whose virtues and patriotism are engraven on the hearts 
of my audience. Neither do I approve of war as being 
the best method of bowing the haughty tyrant, MAN, 
and civilizing the world. No, far from me be such a 
thought. But it is to bring before you beings, made by 
the God of Nature, and in whose hearts and heads he 
has planted sympathies that shall live forever in the 
memory of the world, whose brilliant talents shone 
in the display of natural things, so that the most culti- 
vated, whose powers shone with equal lustre, were not 
able to prepare mantles to cover the burning elements 
of an uncivilized world. What, then, shall we cease 
to mention the mighty of the earth, the noble work of 
God? 

Yet those purer virtues remain untold. Those noble 
traits that marked the wild man's course lie buried in 
the shades of night ; and who shall stand ? I appeal 
to the lovers of liberty. But those few remaining 
descendants who now remain as the monument of the 
1* 



6 



cruelty of those who came to improve our race, and 
correct our errors; and as the immortal Washington 
lives endeared and engraven on the hearts of every 
white in America, never to be forgotten in time, — even 
such is the immortal Philip honored, as held in 
memory by the degraded, but yet grateful descendants, 
who appreciate his character ; so will every patriot, 
especially in this enlightened age, respect the rude yet 
all-accomplished son of the forest, that died a martyr 
to his cause, though unsuccessful, yet as glorious as the 
American Revolution. Where, then, shall we place 
the hero of the wilderness ? 

Justice and humanity for the remaining few prompt 
me to vindicate the character of him who yet lives in 
their hearts, and, if possible, melt the prejudice that 
exists in the hearts of those who are in the possession 
of his soil, and only by the right of conquest — is the aim 
of him who proudly tells you, the blood of a denomi- 
nated savage runs in his veins. It is, however, true, 
that there are many who are said to be honorable 
warriors, who, in the wisdom of their civilized legisla- 
tion, think it no crime to reek their vengeance upon 
whole nations and communities, until the fields are 
covered with blood, and the rivers turned into purple 
fountains, while groans, like distant thunder, are heard 
from the wounded, and the tens of thousands of the 
dying, leaving helpless families depending on their 
cares and sympathies for life ; while a loud response is 
heard floating through the air from the ten thousand 
Indian children and orphans, who are left to mourn the 
honorable acts of a few — civilized men. 



7 



Now, if we have common sense and ability to allow 
the difference between the civilized and the uncivil- 
ized, we cannot but see that one mode of warfare is as 
just as the other; for, while one is sanctioned by 
authority of the enlightened and cultivated men, the 
other is an agreement according to the pure laws of 
nature, growing out of natural consequences ; for 
nature always has her defence for every beast of the 
field; even the reptiles of the earth and the fishes of 
the sea have their weapons of war. But though frail 
man was made for a nobler purpose, — to live, to love 
and adore his God, and do good to his brother; for this 
reason, and this alone, the God of heaven prepared 
ways and means to blast anger, man's destroyer, and 
cause the Prince of Peace to rule, that man might 
swell those blessed notes, My image is of God, I am 
not a beast. 

But as all men are governed by animal passions 
who are void of the true principles of God, whether 
cultivated or uncultivated, we shall now lay before you 
the true charac ter of Philip, in relation to those hos- 
tilities between himself and the whites, and in so doing 
permit me to be plain and candid. 

The first inquiry is, Who is Philip? He was the 
descendant of one of the most celebrated chiefs in the 
known world, for peace and universal benevolence 
towards all men ; for injuries upon injuries, and the 
most daring robberies and barbarous deeds of death 
that were ever committed by the American Pilgrims, 
were with patience and resignation borne, in a manner 
that would do justice to any Christian nation or being 



8 



in the world, — especially when we realize that it was 
voluntary suffering on the part of the good old chief. 
His country extensive — his men numerous, so as the 
wilderness was enlivened by them, say a thousand to 
one of the white men, and they, also, sick and feeble — 
where, then, shall we find one nation submitting so 
tamely to another, with such a host at their command ? 
For injuries of much less magnitude have the people 
called Christians slain their brethren, till they could 
sing, like Sampson, With a jaw bone of an ass have 
we slain our thousands, and laid them in heaps. It 
will be well for us to lay those deeds and depredations 
committed by whites upon Indians, before the civilized 
world, and then they can judge for themselves. 

It appears from history that in 1614, "There came 
one Henry Harley unto me, bringing with him a native 
of the Island of Capawick, a place at the south of 
Cape Cod, whose name was Epenuel. This man was 
taken upon the main by force, with some twenty-nine 
others," very probably good old Massasoit's men — see 
Harlow's Voyage, 1611, "by a ship, and carried to 
London, and from thence to be sold for slaves among 
the Spaniards ; but the Indians being too shrewd, 
or, as they say, unapt for their use, they refused to 
traffic in Indians' blood and bones." This inhuman 
act of the whites caused the Indians to be jealous 
forever afterwards, which the white man acknowledges 
upon the first pages of the history of his country. (See 
Drake's Hist, of the Indians, page 7.) 

How inhuman it was in those wretches, to come into 
a country where nature shone in beauty, spreading 



9 



her wings over the vast continent, sheltering beneath 
her shades those natural sons of an Almighty Being, 
that shone in grandeur and lustre like stars of the first 
magnitude in the heavenly world ; whose virtues far 
surpassed their more enlightened foes, notwithstanding 
their pretended zeal for religion and virtue. How they 
could go to work to enslave a free people, and call it 
religion, is beyond the power of my imagination, and 
out-strips the revelation of God's word, Ob, thou 
pretended hypocritical Christian, whoever thou art, to 
say it was the design of God, that we should murder and 
slay one another, because we have the power. Power 
was not given us to abuse each other, but a mere power 
delegated to us by the King of heaven, a weapon of de- 
fence against error and evil ; and when abused, it will 
turn to our destruction. Mark, then, the history of 
nations throughout the world. 

But notwithstanding the transgression of this power 
to destroy the Indians at their first discovery, yet it does 
appear that the Indians had a wish to be friendly. 
When the pilgrims came among them, (Iyanough's 
men,) there appeared an old woman, breaking out in 
solemn lamentations, declaring one Capt. Hunt had 
carried off three of her children, and they would never 
return here. The pilgrims replied, that they were bad 
and wicked men, but they were going to do better, and 
would never injure them at all. And to pay the poor 
mother, gave her a few brass trinkets, to atone for her 
three sons, and appease her present feelings, a woman 
nearly one hundred years of age. Oh, white woman! 
what would you think, if some foreign nation, unknown 



10 



to you, should come and carry away from you three 
lovely children, whom you had dandled on the knee, 
and at some future time you should behold them, and 
break forth in sorrow, with your heart broken, and 
merely ask, sirs, where are my little ones, and some 
one should reply, it was passion, great passion ; what 
would you think of them ? Should you not think they 
were beings made more like rocks than men. Yet 
these same men came to these Indians for support, and 
acknowledge themselves, that no people could be used 
better than they were ; that their treatment would do 
honor to any nation ; that their provisions were in 
abundance ; that they gave them venison, and sold 
them many hogsheads of corn to fill their stores, be- 
sides beans. This was in the year 1622. Had it not 
been for this humane act of the Indians, every white 
man would have been swept from the New England 
colonies. In their sickness too, the Indians were as 
tender to them as to their own children ; and for all 
this, they were denounced as savages by those who hitd 
received all the acts of kindness they possibly could 
show them. After these social acts of the Indians to- 
wards those who were suffering, and those of their coun- 
trymen, who well knew the care their brethren had re- 
ceived by them : how were the Indians treated before 
that ? Oh, hear ! In the following manner, and their 
own words, we presume, they will not deny. 

December, (O. S.) 1620, the pilgrims landed at 
Plymouth, and without asking liberty from any one, 
they possessed themselves of a portion of the country, 
and built themselves houses, and then made a treaty, 
and commanded them to accede to it. This, if now 



11 



done, would be called an insult, and every white man 
would be called to go out and act the part of a patriot, 
to defend their country's rights ; and if every intruder 
were butchered, it would be sung upon every hill-top 
in the Union, that victory and patriotism was the order 
of the day. And yet the Indians, (though many were 
dissatisfied,) without the shedding of blood, or impris- 
oning any one, bore it. And yet for their kindness 
and resignation towards the whites, they were called 
savages, and made by God on purpose for them to de- 
stroy. We might say, God understood his work better 
than this. But to proceed, it appears that a treaty was 
made by the pilgrims and the Indians, which treaty was 
kept during forty years ; the young chiefs during this 
time, was showing the pilgrims how to live in their 
country, and find support for their wives and little ones ; 
and for all this, they were receiving the applauses of 
being savages. The two gentlemen chiefs were Squanto 
and Samoset, that were so good to the pilgrims. 

The next we present before you are things very 
appalling. We turn our attention to dates, 1623, 
January and March, when Mr. Weston Colony, came 
very near starving to death ; some of them were oblig- 
ed to hire themselves to the Indians, to become their 
servants, in order thaUhey might live. Their principal 
work was to bring wood and water ; but not being con- 
tented with this, many of the whites sought to steal the 
Indian's corn ; and because the Indians complained of 
it, and through their complaint, some one of their num- 
ber being punished, as they say, to appease the sava- 
ges. Now let us see who the greatest savages were ; 



12 



the person that stole the corn was a stoat athletic man, 
and because of this, they wished to spare him, and take 
an old man who was lame and sickly, and that used to 
get his living by weaving, and because they thought he 
would not be of so much use to thera, he was, although 
innocent of any crime, hung in his stead. Oh, savage, 
where art thou, to weep over the Christian's crimes. 
Another act of humanity for Christians, as they call 
themselves, that one Capt. Standish, gathering some 
fruit and provisions, goes forward with a black and hypo- 
critical heart, and pretends to prepare a feast for the 
Indians ; and when they sit down to eat, they seize the 
Indian's knives hanging about their necks, and stab 
them to the heart. The white people call this stabbing, 
feasting the savages. We suppose it might well mean 
themselves, their conduct being more like savages than 
Christians. They took one Wittumumet, the Chief's 
head, and put it upon a pole in their fort ; and for aught 
we know, gave praise to their God for success in mur- 
dering a poor Indian ; for we know it was their usual 
course to give praise to God for this kind of victory, 
believing it was God's will and command, for them to 
do so. We wonder if rhese same Christians do not 
think it the command of God, that they should lie^ 
steal, and get drunk, commit fornication and adultery. 
The one is as consistent as the other. What say you, 
judges, is it not so, and was it not according as they 
did ? Indians think it is. 

But we will proceed to show another inhuman act. 
The whites robbed the Indian graves, and their corn, 
about the year 1632, which caused Chicataubut to 



13 



be displeased, who was chief, and also a son to the 
woman that was dead. And according to the Indian 
custom it was a righteous act to be avenged of the 
dead. Accordingly he called all his men together, and 
addressed them thus : " When last the glorious light 
of the sky w 7 as underneath this globe, and birds grew 
silent, I began to settle, as is my custom, to take re- 
pose. Before my eyes w r ere fast closed, methought I 
saw a vision, at which my spirit was much troubled. 
A spirit cried aloud, Behold, my son, whom I have 
cherished, see the paps that gave thee suck, the hands 
that clasped thee warm, and fed thee oft. Can thou 
forget to take revenge of those wild people that have 
my monument defaced in a despiteful manner, disdain- 
ing our ancient antiquities and honorable cnstoms ? 
See, now, the Sachem's grave lies, like unto the com- 
mon people of ignoble race, defaced. Thy mother 
doth complain, and implores thy aid against these 
thievish people, now come hither. If this be suffered, 
I shall not rest quiet within my everlasting habitation." 
War was the result. And where is there a people in 
the world that would see their friends robbed of their 
common property, their nearest and dearest friends ; 
robbed, after their last respects to them? I appeal to 
you, who value your friends, and affectionate mothers, 
if you w 7 ould have them robbed of their fine marble, 
and your storehouses broken open, without calling 
those to account, who did it? I trow not; and if 
another nation should come to these regions, and begin 
to rob and plunder all that came in their way, would 
not the orators of the day be called to address the 
2 



14 



people, and arouse them to war, for such insults? and, 
for all this, would they not be called Christians and 
patriots ? Yes, it would be rung from Georgia to 
Maine, from the Ocean to the lakes, what fine men and 
Christians there were in the land. But when a few 
red children attempt to defend their rights, they are 
condsmned as savages, by those, if possible, who have 
indulged in wrongs more cruel than the Indians. 

But there is still more. In 16 19 a number of In- 
dians went on board of a ship, by order of their chief, 
and the whites set upon them, and murdered them 
without mercy ; says Mr. Dermer, " without the In- 
dians giving them the least provocation whatever." 
Is this insult to be borne, and not a word to be said? 
Truly, Christians would never bear it; why, then, 
think it strange that the denominated savages do not? 
Oh, thou white Christian, look at acts that honored 
your countrymen, to the destruction of thousands, for 
much less insults than that. And who, my dear sirs, 
were wanting of the name of savages — whites, or 
Indians ? Let justice answer. 

But we have more to present ; and that is, the 
violation of a treaty that the Pilgrims proposed for the 
Indians to subscribe to, and they the first to break it. 
The Pilgrims promised to deliver up every transgressor 
of the Indian treaty, to them, to be punished according 
to their laws, and the Indians were to do likewise. 
Now it appears that an Indian had committed treason, 
by conspiring against the king's life, which is punishable 
with death ; and Massasoit makes demand for the 
transgressor, and the Pilgrims refuse to give him up, 



15 



although by their oath of alliance they had promised 
to do so. Their reasons were, he was beneficial to 
them. This shows how grateful they were to their 
former safeguard, and ancient protector. Now, who 
would have blamed this venerable old chief if he had de- 
clared war at once, and swept the whole colonies away ? 
It was certainly in his power to do it, if he pleased; 
but no, he forbore, and forgave the whites. But where 
is there a people, called civilized, that would do it? we 
presume, none ; and we doubt not but the Pilgrims 
would have exerted all their powers to be avenged, 
and to appease their ungodly passions. But it will be 
seen that this good old chief exercised more Christian 
forbearance than any of the governors of that age, or 
since. It might well be said he was a pattern for the 
Christians themselves; but by the Pilgrims he is de- 
nounced, as being a savage. 

It does not appear that Massasoit or his sons were 
respected because they were human beings, but because 
they feared him ; and we are led to believe that if it 
had been in the power of the Pilgrims, they would 
have butchered them out and out notwithstanding all 
the piety they professed. Only look for a few mo- 
ments at the abuses the son of Massasoit received. 
Alexander being sent for with armed men, and while 
he and his men were breaking their fast in the morn- 
ing, they were taken immediately away, by order of 
the governor, without the least provocation, but merely 
through suspicion. Alexander and his men saw 
them, and might have prevented it, but did not, say- 
ing the governor had no occasion to treat him in this 



16 



manner ; and the heartless wretch informed him that 
he would murder him upon the spot, if he did not go 
with him, presenting a sword at his breast; and had 
it not been for one of his men he would have yielded 
himself up upon the spot. Alexander was a man of 
strong passion, and of a firm mind ; and this insulting 
treatment of him caused him to fall sick of a fever, so 
that he never recovered. Some of the Indians were 
suspicious that he was poisoned to death. He died in 
the year 1662. " After him," says that eminent di- 
vine, Dr. Mather, " there rose up one Philip, of 
cursed memory." Perhaps if the Dr. was present, he 
would find that the memory of Philip was as far 
before his, in the view of sound, judicious men, as the 
sun is before the stars, at noonday. JBut we might 
suppose that men like Dr. Mather, so well versed in 
Scripture, would have known his work better than 
to have spoken evil of any one, or have cursed any of 
God's works. He ought to have known that God 
did not make his red children for him to curse; but if 
he wanted them cursed, he could have done it himself. 
But, on the contrary, his suffering Master commanded 
him to love his enemies, and to pray for his persecu- 
tors, and to do unto others as he would that men should 
do unto him. Now, we wonder if the sons of the 
Pilgrims would like to have us, poor Indians, come out 
and curse the Doctor, and all their sons, as we have 
been, by many of them. And suppose that, in some 
future day, our children should repay all these wrongs, 
would it not be doing as we, poor Indians, have been 



17 



done to? But we sincerely hope there is more hu- 
manity in us, than that. 

In the history of Massasoit we find that his own 
head men were not satisfied with the Pilgrims ; that 
they looked upon them to be intruders, and had a wish 
to expel those intruders out of their coast; and no 
wonder that from the least reports the Pilgrims were 
ready to take it up. A false report was made respect- 
ing one Tisquantum, that he was murdered by an 
Indian, one of Coubantant's men. Upon this news, 
one Standish, a vile and malicious fellow, took fourteen 
of his lewd Pilgrims with him, and at midnight, when 
a deathless silence reigned throughout the wilderness ; 
not even a bird is heard to send forth her sweet songs 
to charm and comfort those children of the woods; but 
all had taken their rest, to commence anew on the 
rising of the glorious sun. But to their sad surprise 
there was no rest for them, but they were surrounded 
by ruffians and assassins; yes, assassins; what better 
name can be given them ? At that late hour of the 
night, meeting a house in the wilderness, whose inmates 
were nothing but a few helpless females and children ; 
soon a voice is heard — Move not, upon the peril of 
your life. I appeal to this audience if there was any 
righteousness in their proceedings? Justice would say 
no. At the same time some of the females were so 
frightened, that some of them undertook to make their 
escape, upon which they were fired upon. Now it is 
doubtless the case that these females never saw a white 
man before, or ever heard a gun fired. It must have 
sounded to them like the rumbling of thunder, and 



18 



terror must certainly have filled all their hearts. And 
can it be supposed that these innocent Indians could 
have looked upon them as good and trusty men? Do 
you look upon the midnight robber and assassin as 
being a Christian, and trusty man? These Indians 
had not done one single wrong act to the whites, but 
were as innocent of any crime, as any beings in the 
world. And do you believe that Indians cannot feel 
and see, as well as white people? If you think so, 
you are mistaken. Their power of feeling and know- 
ing is as quick as yours. Now this is to be borne, as 
the pilgrims did as their Master told them to ; but what 
color he was I leave it. But if the real sufferers say 
one word, they are denounced, as being wild and sav- 
age beasts. 

But let us look a little further. It appears that in 
1630, a benevolent Chief bid the pilgrims welcome to his 
shores ; and in June 28, 1630, ceded his land to them 
for the small sum of eighty dollars, now Ipswich, Row- 
ley, and a part of Essex. The following year, at the 
July term, 1631, these pilgrims of the new world, pass- 
ed an act in court, that the friendly chief should not 
come into their houses short of paying fifty dollars, or 
an equivalent, that is ten beaver skins. Who could 
have supposed that the meek and lowly followers of 
virtue would have taken such methods to rob honest 
men of the woods. But for this insult, the pilgrims had 
well nigh lost their lives and their all, had it not been 
prevented by Robbin, an Indian, who apprized them 
of their danger. And now let it be understood, not- 
withstanding all the bitter feelings the whites have gen- 



19 



erally shown towards Indians, yet they have been the 
only instrument in preserving their lives. 

The history of New England writers say, that our 
tribes were large and respectable. How then, could it 
be otherwise, but their safety rested in the hands of 
friendly Indians. In 1647, the pilgrims speak of large 
and respectable tribes. But let us trace them lor a few 
moments. How have they been destroyed, is it by fair 
means? No. How then? By hypocritical proceed- 
ings, by being duped and flattered ; flattered by inform- 
ing the Indians that their God was a going to speak to 
them, and then place them before the cannon's mouth 
in a line, and then putting the match to it and kill 
thousands of them. We might suppose that meek 
Christians had better gods and weapons than cannon; 
weapons that were not carnal, but mighty through God, 
to the pulling down of strong holds. These are the 
weapons that modern Christians profess to have ; and 
if the pilgrims did not have them, they ought not to be 
honored as such. But let us again review their weap- 
ons, to civilize the nations of this soil. What were 
they: rum and powder, and ball, together with all the 
diseases, such as the small pox, and every other dis- 
ease immaginable ; and in this way sweep off thou- 
sands and tens of thousands. And then it has been 
said, that these men who were free from these things, 
that they could not live among civilized people. We 
wonder how a virtuous people could live in a sink of 
diseases, a people who had never been used to them. 

And who is to account for those destructions upon 
innocent families and helpless children. It was said by 



20 



some of the New England writers, that living babes 
were found at the breast of their dead mothers. What 
an awful sight ! and to think too, that these diseases 
were carried among them on purpose to destroy them. 
Let the children of the pilgrims blush, while the son 
of the forest drops a tear, and groans over the fate of 
his murdered and departed fathers. He would say to 
the sons of the pilgrims, (as Job said about his birth 
day,) let the day be dark, the 22d of December, 1622; 
let it be forgotten in your celebration, in your speeches, 
and by the burying of the Rock that your fathers first 
put their foot upon. For be it remembered, although 
the gospel is said to be glad tidings to all people, yet 
we poor Indians never have found those who brought it 
as messengers of mercy, but contrawise. We say, 
therefore, let every man of color wrap himself in mourn- 
ing, for the 22d of December and the 4th of July are 
days of mourning and not of joy. (I would here say, 
there is an error in my book ; it speaks of the 25th of 
December, but it should be the 22d. See Indian Nul- 
lifiation.) Let them rather fast and pray to the great 
Spirit, the Indian's God, who deals out mercy to his 
red children, and not destruction. 

Oh, Christians, can you answer for those beings that 
have been destroyed by your hostilities, and beings too 
that lies endeared to God as yourselves? his Son be- 
ing their Saviour as well as yours, and alike to all men ? 
And will you presume to say that you are executing the 
judgments of God by so doing, or as many really are 
approving the works of their fathers to be genuine, as 
it is certain that every time they celebrate the day of 



21 



the pilgrims they do ? Although in words they deny it, 
yet in works they approve of the iniquities of their 
fathers. And as the seed of iniquity and prejudice was 
sown in that day, so it still remains ; and there is a deep 
rooted popular opinion in the hearts of many, that In- 
dians were made, &c. on purpose for destruction, to be 
driven out by white Christians, and they to take their 
places ; and that God had decreed it from all eternity. 
If such theologians would only study the works of na- 
ture more, they would understand the purposes of good 
better than they do. That the favor of the Almighty 
was good and holy, and all his nobler works were made 
to adorn his image, by being his grateful servants, and 
admiring each other as angels ; and not as they say, to 
drive and devour each other. And that you may know 
the spirit of the pilgrims yet remain, we will present 
before you the words of a humble divine of the far 
West. He says, "the desert becomes an Eden." 
Rev. Nahum Gold, of Union Grove, Putman, writes 
under date June 12, 1835, says he, " let any man look 
at this settlement, and reflect what it was three years 
ago, and his heart can but kindle up while he exclaims, 
1 what has God wrought !' the savage has left the ground 
for civilized man ; the rich prairie, from bringing forth 
all its strengths to be burned, is now receiving numer- 
ous enclosures, and brings a harvest of corn and wheat 
to feed the church. Yes, sir, this is now God's vine- 
yard ; he has gathered the vine, the choice vine, and 
brought it from a far country, and has planted it on a 
goodly soil. He expects fruit now. He gathered out 
the stones thereof, and drove the red Canaanites from 



22 



trampling it down, or in any way hindering its in- 
crease." — JV. r. Evangelist, August 1. 

But what next should we hear from this very pious 
man. Why, my brethren, the poor missionaries want 
money to go and convert the poor heathen, as if God 
could not convert them where they were ; but must 
first drive them out. If God wants the red men con- 
verted, we should think he could do it as well in one 
place as in another. But must I say, and shall I say it, 
that missionaries have injured us more than they have 
done us good, by degrading us as a people, in breaking 
up our governments, and leaving us without any suf- 
frages whatever, or a legal right among men. Oh, 
what cursed doctrine is this, it most certainly is not fit 
to civilize men with, much more to save their souls ; 
and we poor Indians want no such missionaries around 
us. But I would suggest one thing, and that is, let the 
ministers and people use the colored people they have 
already around them, like human beings, before they 
go to convert any more ; and let them show it in their 
churches ; and let them proclaim it upon the house 
tops, and I would say to the benevolent, withhold your 
hard earnings from them, unless they do do it ; until 
they can stop laying their own wickedness to God, 
which is blasphemy. 

But if God was like his subjects, we should all have 
been swept off before now ; for we find that of late, 
pilgrim?' children have got to killing and mobbing each 
other, as they have got rid of most all the Indians. 
This is worse than my countrymen ever did ; for they 
never mobbed one another, and I was in hopes that the 



23 



sons of the pilgrims had improved a little. But the 
more honorable may thank their fathers for such a spirit 
in this age. And remember that their walls of preju- 
dice was built with untempered mortar, contrary to 
God's command ; and be assured, it will fall upon their 
children, though 1 sincerely hope they will not be seri- 
ously injured by it. Although I myself, now and then 
feel a little of its pressure, as though I should not be 
able to sustain the shock ; but I trust the great Spirit 
will stand by me, as also good and honorable men will, 
being as it were the last, still lingering upon the shores 
of time, standing as it were upon the graves of his much 
injured race, to plead their cause, and speak for the 
rights of the remaining few. Although it is said by 
many, that Indians had no rights, neither do they regard 
their rights ; nor can they look a white man in the face, 
and ask him for them. If the white man did but know 
it, the Indians knows it would do no good to spend his 
breath for nought. But if we can trust to Roger 
Williams' word, in regard to Indian rights: he says, 
no people were more so ; that the cause of all their 
wars were about their hunting grounds. And it is cer- 
tain their boundaries were set to their respective tribes ; 
so that each one knew his own range. The poet speaks 
thus of Canonicus, in 1803 : 

Almighty Prince, of venerable age, 
A fearless warrior, but of peace the friend ; 
His breast a treasury of maxims sage, 
His arm a host, to punish or defend. 

It was said he was eighty-four years of age when ho 
died, an able defender of his rights. Thus it does ap- 



24 

pear that Indians had rights, and those rights were near 
and dear to them, as your stores and farms, and fire- 
sides are to the whites, and their wives and children 
also. And how the pilgrims could rejoice at their dis- 
tresses, I know not ; what divinity men were made of 
in those days, rather puzzles me now and then. Now, 
for example, we will lay before you the conduct of an 
Indian and the whites, and leave you, dear sirs, to judge. 

History informs us that in Kennebunk there liv- 
ed an Indian, remarkable for his good conduct, and who 
received a grant of land from the State, and fixed him- 
self in a new township, where a number of white 
families were settled. Though not ill-treated, yet the 
common prejudices against Indians prevented any 
sympathy with him, though he himself did all that lay 
in his power to comfort his white neighbors, in case of 
sickness and death. But now let us see the scene 
reversed. This poor Indian, that had nourished, and 
waited to aid the Pilgrims in their trouble, now vainly 
looks for help, when sickness and death comes into 
his family. Hear his own words. He speaks to the 
inhabitants thus : "When white man's child die, Indian 
man he sorry; he help bury him. When my child 
die, no one speak to me ; I make his grave alone. I 
can no live here." He gave up his farm, dug up the 
body of his child, and carried it 200 miles, through the 
wilderness, to join the Canadian Indians. What dig- 
nity there was in this man ; and we do not wonder 
that he felt so indignant at the proceedings of the then 
called Christians. But this was as they were taught 
by their haughty divines and orators of the day. But, 



25 



nevertheless, the people were to blame, for they might 
have read for themselves ; and they doubtless would 
have found that we were not made to be vessels of 
wrath, as they say we were. And had the whites 
found it out, perhaps they would not have rejoiced at 
a poor Indian's death ; or when they were swept off, 
would not have called it the Lord killing the Indians 
to make room for them upon their lands. This is 
something like many people wishing for their friends 
to die, that they might get their property. I am aston- 
ished when I look at peoples' absurd blindness — when 
all are liable to die, and all subject to all kinds of dis- 
eases. For example; why is it that epidemics have 
raged so much among the more civilized? in London, 
1660, the plague ; and in 1S30 and 1831, the cholera, 
in the old and new world, when the inhabitants were 
lain in heaps by that epidemic. Should I hear of an 
Indian rejoicing over the inhabitants, I would no longer 
own him as a brother. But, dear friends, you know 
that no Indian knew by the Bible it was wrong to kill, 
because he knew not the Bible, and its sacred laws. 
But it is certa'n the Pilgrims knew better than to break 
the commands of their Lord and Master; they knew 
that it was written, " thou shalt not kill." 

But having laid a mass of history and exposition 
before you, the purpose of which is to show that 
Philip and all the Indians generally, felt indignantly 
towards whites, whereby they were more easily allied 
together by Philip, their King and Emperor, we come 
to notice more particularly his history. As to his 
Majesty, King Philip, it was certain that his honor 
3 



26 



was put to the test, and it was certainly to be tried, 
even at the loss of his life and country. It is a matter 
of uncertainty about his age; but his birth-place was at 
Mount Hope, Rhode Island, where Massasoit, his 
father lived, till 1656, and died, as also his brother, 
Alexander, by the governor's ill-treating him, (that 
is, Winthrop,) which caused his death, as before men- 
tioned, in 1662; after which, the kingdom fell into the 
hands of Philip, the greatest man that ever lived 
upon the American shores. Soon after his coming to 
the throne, it appears he began to be noticed, though, 
prior to this, it appears that he was not forward in the 
councils of war or peace. When he came into office 
it appears that he knsw there was great responsibility 
resting upon himself and country ; that it was likely to 
be ruined by those rude intruders around him ; though 
he appears friendly, and is willing to sell them lands 
for almost nothing, as we shall learn from dates of the 
Plymouth Colony, which commence June 23, 1664. 
William Benton, of Rhode Island, a merchant, buys 
Matapoisett of Philip and wife, but no sum is set, 
which he gave for it. To this deed, his counsellors, 
and wife, and two of the Pilgrims, were witnesses. In 
1665 he sold New Bedford and Compton for forty 
dollars. In 1667 he sells to Constant South worth and 
others all the meadow lands from Dartmouth to Mata- 
poisett, for which he received sixty dollars. The 
same year he sells to Thomas Willet a tract of land 
two miles in length, and perhaps the same in width, 
for which he received forty dollars. In 1668 he sold 
a tract of some square miles, now called Swanzey, 



27 



The next year he sells five hundred acres in Swanzey, 
for which he received eighty dollars. His counsellors 
and interpreters, with the Pilgrims, were witnesses to 
these deeds. 

Osamequan, for valuable considerations, in the year 
1641 sold to John Brown and Edward Winslow a 
tract of land eight miles square, situated on both sides 
of Palmer's River. Philip, in 1668 was required to 
sign a quit-claim of the same, which we understand 
he did in the presence of his counsellors. In the same 
year Philip laid claim to a portion of land called 
New Meadows, alleging that it was not intended to be 
conveyed in a former deed, for which Mr. Brown paid 
him forty-four dollars, in goods ; so it was settled with- 
out difficulty. Also, in 1669, for forty dollars he sold 
to one John Cook, a whole island, called Nokatay, 
near Dartmouth. The same year Philip sells a tract 
of land in Middleborough for fifty- two dollars. In 
1671 he sold to Hugh Cole a large tract of land, lying 
near Swanzey, for sixteen dollars. In 1672 he sold 
sixteen square miles to William Breton and others, of 
Taunton, for which he and his chief received five 
hundred and seventy-two dollars. This contract, 
signed by himself and chiefs, ends the sales of lands 
with Philip, for all which he received nine hundred 
and seventy-four dollars, as far as we can learn by the 
records. 

Here Philip meets with a most bitter insult, in 
1673, from one Peter Talmon, of Rhode Island, who 
complained to the Plymouth Court against Philip, of 
Mount Hope, predecessor, heir, and administrator of 



28 



his brother Alexander, deceased, in an action on the 
case, to the damage of three thousand and two hundred 
dollars, for which the Court gave verdict in favor of 
Talmon, the young Pilgrim ; for which Philip had 
to make good to the said Talmon a large tract of land 
at Sapamet and other places adjacent : and for the 
want thereof, that is, more land that was not taken up, 
the complainant is greatly damnified. This is the 
language in the Pilgrims' Court. Now let us review 
this a little. The man who bought this land made the 
contract, as he says, with Alexander, ten or twelve 
years before ; then why did he not bring forward his 
contract before the Court ? It is easy to understand 
why he did not. Their object was to cheat, or get 
the whole back again in this way. Only look at the 
sum demanded, and it is enough to satisfy the critical 
observer. This course of proceedings caused the 
Chief and his people to entertain strong jealousies of 
the whites. 

In the year 1668 Philip made a complaint against 
one Weston, who had wronged one of his men of a gun 
and some swine; and we have no account that he got 
any justice for his injured brethren. And, indeed, it 
would be a strange thing for poor unfortunate Indians 
to find justice in those Courts of the pretended pious, 
in those days, or even since ; and for a proof of my 
assertion I will refer the reader or hearer to the records 
of Legislatures and Courts throughout New England; 
and also to my book, Indian Nullification. 

We would remark still further; who stood up in 
those days, and since, to plead Indian rights ? Was it 



29 

the friend of the Indian ? No ; it was his enemies who 
rose ; his enemies, to judge and pass sentence. And 
we know that such kind of characters as the Pilgrims 
were, in regard to the Indians' rights, who, as they say, 
had none, must certainly always give verdict against 
them, as, generally speaking, they always have. Prior 
to this insult it appears that Philip had met with great 
difficulty with the Pilgrims ; that they appeared to be 
suspicious of him in 1671; and the Pilgrims sent for 
him, but he did not appear to move as though he cared 
much for their messenger, which caused them to be 
still more suspicious. What grounds the Pilgrims had 
is not ascertained, unless it is attributed to a guilty 
conscience for wrongs done to Indians. It appears 
that Philip, when he got ready, goes near to them, and 
sends messengers to Taunton, to invite the Pilgrims to 
come and treat with him; but the governor being either 
too proud, or afraid, sends messengers to him to come 
to their residence at Taunton, to which he complied. 
Among these messengers was the Honorable Roger 
Williams, a Christian and a patriot, and a friend to the 
Indians, for which we rejoice. Philip, not liking to 
trust the Pilgrims, left some of the whites in his stead, 
to warrant his safe return. When Philip and his men 
had come near the place, some of the Plymouth peo- 
ple were ready to attack him ; this rashness was, how- 
ever, prevented by the Commissioner of Massachu- 
setts, who met there with the Governor, to treat with 
Philip; and it was agreed upon to meet in the meeting- 
house. Philip's complaint was, that the Pilgrims had 
injured the planting grounds of his people. The Pil- 
3*^ 



30 



grims acting as umpires say the charges against them 
were not sustained ; and because it was not, to their 
satisfaction, the whites wanted that Philip should order 
all his men to bring in his arms and ammunition ; and 
the Court was to dispose of them as they pleased. 
The next thing was, that Philip must pay the cost of 
the treaty, which was four hundred dollars. The 
Pious Dr. Mather says, that Philip was appointed to 
pay a sum of money to defray tire charges that his 
insolent clamors had put the Colony to. We wonder 
if the Pilgrims were as ready to pay the Indians for the 
trouble they put them to. If they were, it was with 
the instruments of death. It appears that Philip did 
not wish to make war with them, but compromised 
with them ; and in order to appease the Pilgrims he 
actually did order his men, whom he could not trust, 
to deliver them up ; but his own men withheld, with 
the exception of a very few. 

Now what an unrighteous act this was in the people, 
who professed to be friendly and humane, and peacea- 
ble to all men. It could not be that they were so de- 
void of sense as to think these illiberal acts would pro- 
duce peace ; but contrawise, continual broils. And in 
fact it does appear that they courted war instead of 
peace, as it appears from a second council that was 
held by order of the Governor, at Plymouth, Septem- 
ber 13, 1671. It appears that they sent again for 
Philip ; but he did not attend, but went himself and 
made complaint to the governor, which made him write 
to the council, and ordered them to desist, to be more 
mild, and not to take such rash measures. But it ap- 



31 



pears that on the 24th, the scene changed ; that they 
held another council, and the disturbers of the peace, 
the intruders upon a peaceable people, say they find 
Philip guilty of the following charges : 

1. That he had neglected to bring in his arms, al- 
though competent time had been given him. 

2. That he had carried insolently and proudly to- 
wards us on several occasions, in refusing to come down 
to our courts, (when sent for,) to procure a right un- 
derstanding betwixt us. 

What an insult this was to his Majesty, and inde- 
pendent Chief of a powerful nation, should come at 
the beck and call of his neighbors whenever they 
pleased to have him do it. Besides, did not Philip 
do as he agreed, at Taunton, that is in case there 
was more difficulty they were to leave it to Massachu- 
setts, to be settled there in the high council, and both 
parties were to abide by their decision ; but did the 
Pilgrims wait ? No. But being infallible, of course 
they could not err. 

The third charge was, harboring divers Indians not 
his own men ; but vagabond Indians. 

Now what a charge this was to bring against a King, 
calling his company vagabonds, because it did not hap- 
pen to please them ; .and what right had they to find 
fault with his company. I do not believe that Philip 
ever troubled himself about the white people's com- 
pany, and prefer charges against them for keeping 
company with whom they pleased. Neither do I 
believe he called their company vagabonds, for he was 
rr.ore noble than that. 



I 



The fourth charge is, that he went to Massachusetts 
with his council, and complained against them, and 
turned their brethren against them. 

This was more a complaint against themselves than 
Philip, inasmuch it represents that Philip's story was 
so correct, that they were blameable. 

5. That he had not been quite so civil as they wish- 
ed him to be. 

We presume that Philip felt himself much troubled 
by these intruders, and of course put them off from 
time to time, or did not take much notice of their pro- 
posals. Now such charges as those, we think are to 
no credit of the pilgrims. However, this council end- 
ed much a3 the other did, in regard to disarming the 
Indians, which they never were able to do. Thus 
ended the events of 1671. 

But it appears that the pilgrims could not be con- 
tented with what they had done, but they must send 
an Indian, and a traitor, to preach to Philip and his 
men, in order to convert him and his people to Chris- 
tianity. The preacher's name was Sassamon. I would 
appeal to this audience, is it not certain that the Ply- 
mouth people strove to pick a quarrel with Philip and 
his men. What could have been more insulting than 
to send a man to them who was false, and looked upon 
as such ; for it is most certain that a traitor was above 
all others, the more to be detested than any other. 
And not only so, it was the laws of the Indians, that 
such a man must die ; that he had forfeited his life; 
and when he made his appearance among them, Philip 
would have killed him upon the spot, if his council had 



33 



not persuaded him not to. But it appears that in 
March, 1674, one of Philip's men killed him, and 
placed him beneath the ice in a certain pond near Ply- 
mouth ; doubtless by the order of Philip. After this, 
search was made for him, and he found there a certain 
Indian, by the name of Patuckson ; Tobias, also, his 
son were apprehended and tried. Tobias was one of 
Philip's counsellors, as it appears from the records that 
the trial did not end here, that it was put over, and that 
two of the Indians entered into bonds for $>400, for the 
appearance of Tobias at the June term ; for which a 
mortgage of land was taken to that amount, for his safe 
return. June having arrived, three instead of one are 
arraigned. There was no one but Tobias suspected at 
the previous Court. Now two others are arraigned, 
tried, condemned and executed, (making three in all,) 
in June the 8th, 1675, by hanging and shooting. It 
does not appear that any more than one was guilty, and 
it was said that he was known to acknowledge it ; but 
the other two persisted in their innocency to the last. 

This murder of the preacher brought on the war a 
year sooner than it was anticipated by Philip. But 
this so exasperated King Philip, that from that day he 
studied to be revenged of the pilgrims ; judging that 
his white intruders had nothing to do in punishing his 
people for any crime, and that it was in violation of 
treaties of ancient date. But when we look at this, 
how bold and how daring it was to Philip, as though 
they would bid defiance to him, and all his authority, 
we do not wonder at his exasperation. When the 
Governor finds that his Majesty was displeased, he then 



34 



sends messengers to him, and wishes to know why he 
would make war upon him, (as if he had done all right,) 
and wished to enter into a new treaty with him. The 
King answered them thus : Your Governor is but a 
subject of King Charles of England, I shall not treat 
with a subject ; I shall treat of peace only with a King, 
my brother ; when he comes, I am ready. 

This answer of Philip's to the messengers, is worthy 
of note throughout the world. And never could a 
prince answer with more dignity in regard to his offi- 
cial authority than he did ; disdaining the idea of plac- 
ing himself upon a par of the minor subjects of a King ; 
letting them know at the same time, that he felt his in- 
dependence more than they thought he did. And in- 
deed it was time for him to wake up, for now the sub- 
jects of King Charles had taken one of his counsellors 
and killed him, and he could no longer trust them. 
Until the execution of these three Indians, supposed to 
be the murderers of Sassamon, no hostility was com- 
mitted by Philip or his warriors. About the time of 
their trial, he was said to be marching his men up and 
down the country in arms ; but when it was known, he 
could no longer restrain his young men, who, upon the 
24th of June, provoked the people of Swansey, by 
killing their cattle and other injuries, which was a sig- 
nal to commence the war, and what they had desired, 
as a superstitious notion prevailed among the Indians, 
that whoever fired the first gun of either party, would 
be conquered. Doubtless a notion they had received 
from the pilgrims. It was upon a fast day too, when 
the first gun was fired ; and as the people were return- 



35 



ing from church, they were fired upon by the Indians, 
when several of them were killed. It is not supposed 
that Philip directed this attack, but was opposed to it. 
Though it is not doubted that he meant to be revenged 
upon his enemies ; for during some time he had been 
cementing his countrymen together, as it appears that 
he had sent to all the disaffected tribes, who also had 
watched the movements of the comers from the new 
world, and were as dissatisfied as Philip himself was 
with their proceedings. 

Now around the council fires they meet, 

The young nobles for to greet ; 
Their tales of wo and sorrows to relate, 

About the pilgrims, their wretched foes. 

And while their fires were blazing high, 

Their King and Emperor to greet ; 
His voice like lightning fires their hearts, 

To stand the test or die. 

See those pilgrims from the world unknown, 

No love for Indians do know : 
Although our fathers fed them well 

With venison rich, of precious kinds. 

No gratitude to Indians now is shown, 

From people saved by them alone ; 
All gratitude that poor Indians do know, 

Is, we are robbed of all our rights. 

At this council it appears that Philip made the fol- 
lowing speech to his chiefs, counsellors and warriors : 

Brothers, — You see this vast country before us, 
which the great Spirit gave to our fathers and us ; you 
see the buffalo a d deer that no : are our support. — 
Brothers, you see these little Ot*e£, our wives and chil- 



36 



dren, who are looking to us for food and raiment ; and 
you now see the foe before you, that they have grown 
insolent and bold ; that all our ancient customs are dis- 
regarded ; the treaties made by our fathers and us are 
broken, and all of us insulted; our council fires disre- 
garded, and all the ancient customs of our fathers ; our 
brothers murdered before our eyes, and their spirits 
cry to us for revenge. Brothers, these people from 
the unknown world will cut down our groves, spoil our 
hunting and planting grounds, and drive us and our 
children from the graves of our fathers, and our coun- 
cil fires, and enslave our women and children. 

This famous speech of Philip was calculated to 
arouse them to arms, to do the best they could in pro- 
tecting and defending their rights. The blow had now 
been struck, the die was cast, and nothing but blood 
and carnage was before them. And we find Philip as 
active as the wind, as dextrous as a giant, firm as the 
pillows of heaven, and as fierce as a lion, a powerful foe 
to contend with indeed : and as swift as an eagle, gath- 
ering together his forces, to prepare them for the bat- 
tle. And as it would swell our address too full, to 
mention all the tribes in Philip's train of warriors, suf- 
fice it to say that from six to seven were with him at 
different times. When he begins the war, he goes for- 
ward and musters about 500 of his men, and arms 
them complete, and about 900 of the other, making in 
all about fourteen hundred warriors when he com- 
menced.. It must be recollected that this war was le- 
gally declared by Philip, so that the colonies had a fair 
warning. It was no savage war of surprise as some 



37 



suppose, but one sorely provoked by the pilgrims them- 
selves. But when Philip and his men fought, as they 
were accustomed to do, and according to their mode of 
war, it was no more than what could be expected. 
But we hear no particular acts of cruelty committed by 
Philip during the siege. But we find more manly no- 
bility in him, than we do in all the head pilgrims put 
together, as we shall see during this quarrel between 
them. Philip's young men were eager to do exploits, 
and to lead captive their haughty lords. It does ap- 
pear that every Indian heart had been lighted up at the 
council fires, at Philip's speech, and that the forest was 
literally alive with this injured race. And now town 
after town fell before them. The pilgrims with their 
forces were ever marching in one direction, while Philip 
and his forces were marching in another, burning all be- 
fore them, until Middle-borough, Taunton and Dartmouth 
were laid in ruins, and forsaken by its inhabitants. 

At the great fia;ht at Pocasset, Philip commanded in 
person, where he also was discovered with his host in a 
dismal swamp. He had retired here with his army to 
secure a safe retreat from the pilgrims, who were in 
close pursuit of him, and their numbers were so pow- 
erful they thought the fate of Philip was sealed. They 
surrounded the swamp, in hopes to destroy him and his 
army. At the edge of the swamp Philip had secreted 
a few of his men to draw them into ambush, upon 
which the pilgrims showed fight ; Philip's men retreat- 
ing and the w 7 hites pursuing them till they were sur- 
rounded by Philip, and nearly all cut off. This was a 
sorry time to them ; the pilgrims, however, reinforced, 
4 



38 



but ordered a retreat, supposing it impossible for Philip 
to escape, and knowing his forces to be great, it was 
conjectured by some to build a fort to starve him out, as 
he had lost but few men in the fight. The situation of 
Philip was rather peculiar, as there was but one outlet 
to the swamp, and a river before him nearly seven 
miles to descend. The pilgrims placed a guard around 
the swamp for 13 days, which gave Philip and his men 
time to prepare canoes to make good his retreat ; in 
which he did, to the Connecticut river, and in his re- 
treat lost but fourteen men. We may look upon this 
move of Philip's to be equal, if not superior to that of 
Washington crossing the Delaware. For while Wash- 
ington was assisted by all the knowledge that art and 
science could give, together with all the instruments of 
defence, and edged tools to prepare rafts, and the like 
helps for safety across the river, Philip was naked as 
to any of these things, possessing only what nature, his 
mother had bestowed upon him ; and yet makes his 
escape with equal praise. But he would not even lost 
a man, had it not been for Indians who were hired to 
fight against Indians, with promise of their enjoying 
equal rights with their white brethren ; but not one of 
those promises have as yet been fulfilled by the pilgrims 
or their children, though they must acknowledge, that 
without the aid of Indians and their guides, they must 
inevitably been swept off. It was only then by decep- 
tion that the pilgrims gained the country, as their word 
has never been fulfilled in regard to Indian rights. 

Philip having now taken possession of the back set- 
tlements of Massachusets, one town after another was 



39 

swept off. A garrison being established at Northfield 
by the pilgrims, and while endeavoring to reinforce it 
with thirty-six armed, twenty out of their number was 
killed, and one taken prisoner. At the same time 
Philip so managed it as to cut off their retreat, and 
take their ammunition from them. 

About the month of August, they took a young lad 
about fourteen years of age, whom they intended to 
make merry with the next day ; but the pilgrims said 
God touched the Indians' heart, and they let him go. 
About the same time, the whites took an old man of 
Philip's, whom they found alone ; and because he 
would not turn traitor, and inform them where Philip 
was, they pronounced him worthy of death ; and by 
them was executed, cutting off first his arms and then 
his head. We w T onder why God did not touch the pil- 
grims' heart, and save them from cruelty, as well as the 
Indians. 

We would now notice an act in King Philip, that out- 
weighs all the other princes and emperors in the world. 
That is, when his men began to be in want of money, 
having a coat neatly wrought with mampampeag, (i. e. 
Indian money,) he cut it to pieces, and distributed it 
among all his chiefs and warriors; it being better than 
the old continental mopey of the revolution, in Wash- 
ington's day, as not one Indian soldier found fault with 
it, as we could ever learn ; so that it cheered their 
hearts still to persevere to maintain their rights and ex- 
pel their enemies. 

On the 18th of September, the pilgrims made a tour 
from Hadley to Deerfield, with about eighty men, to 



40 



bring their valuable articles of clothing and provisions. 
Having loaded their teams and returning, Philip and 
his men attacked them, and nearly slew them all. The 
attack was made near Sugar-loaf Hill. It was said 
that in this fight, the pilgrims lost their best men of 
Essex, and all their goods ; upon which there were 
many made widows and orphans in one day. Philip 
now having done what he could upon the Western fron- 
tiers of Massachusetts, and believing his presence was 
wanted among his allies, the Narragansets, to keep them 
from being duped by the pilgrims, he is next known 
to be in their country. 

The pilgrims determined to break down Philip's 
power, if possible, with the Narragansets : thus they 
raised an army of 1500 strong, to go against them and 
destroy them if possible. In this, Massachusetts, Ply- 
mouth and Connecticut all join in severally, to crush 
Philip. Accordingly in December, in 1675, the pil- 
grims set forward to destroy them. Preceding their 
march, Philip had made all arrangements for the win- 
ter, and had fortified himself beyond what was common 
for his countrymen to do, upon a small island near 
South Kingston, R. I. Here he intended to pass the 
winter with his warriors, and their wives and children. 
About 500 Indian houses was erected of a superior 
kind, in which was deposited all their stores, tubs of 
corn, and other things, piled up to a great height, which 
rendered it bullet proof. It was supposed that about 
3000 persons had taken up their residence in it. (I 
would remark, that Indians took better care of them- 
selves in those days than they have been able to since,) 



41 



Accordingly on the 19th day of December, after the 
pilgrims had been out in the extreme cold, for nearly one 
month, lodging in tents, and their provision being short, 
and the air full of snow, they had no other alternative 
than to attack Philip in the fort. Treachery however, 
hastened his ruin ; one of his men by hope of reward 
from the deceptive pilgrims, betrayed his country into 
their hands. The traitor's name was Peter. No white 
man was acquainted with the way, and it would have 
been almost impossible for them to have found it, 
much less to have captured it. There was but one 
point where it could have been entered or assailed with 
any success, and this was fortified much like a block 
house, directly in front of the entrance, and also flankers 
to cover a cross fire. Besides high palisides, an im- 
mense hedge of fallen trees of nearly a rod in thickness. 
Thus surrounded by trees and water, there was but one 
place that the pilgrims could pass. Nevertheless, they 
made the attempt. Philip now had directed his men 
to fire, and every platoon of the Indians swept every 
white man from the path one after another, until six 
captains, with a great many of the men had fallen. In 
the mean time, one Captain Moseley, with some of his 
men had some how or other gotten into the fort in 
another way, and surprised them ; by which the pil- 
grims were enabled to capture the fort, at the same 
time setting fire to it, and hewing down men, women 
and children indiscriminately. Philip, however, was 
enabled to escape with many of his warriors. It is said 
at this battle eighty whites were killed, and one hun- 
dred and fifty wounded ; many of whom died of their 
4* 



42 



wounds afterwards, not being able to dress them till 
they had marched 18 miles ; also leaving many of thei? 
dead in the fort. It is said that 700 of the JNarragan- 
sets perished. The greater part of them being women 
and children. 

It appears that God did not prosper them much after 
all. It is believed that the sufferings of the pilgrims 
were without a parallel in history ; and it is supposed 
that the horrors and burning elements of Moscow, will 
bear but a faint resemblance of that scene. The thou- 
sands and tens of thousands assembled there with their 
well disciplined forces, bear but little comparison to 
that of modern Europe, when the inhabitants, science, 
manners and customs are taken into consideration. We 
might well admit the above fact, and say, the like was 
never known among any heathen nation in the world ; 
for none but those worse than heathens, would have suf- 
fered so much, for the sake of being revenged upon 
those of their enemies. Philip had repaired to his 
quarters to take care of his people and not to have 
them exposed. We should not have wondered quite 
so much if Philip had gone forward and acted thus. 
But when a people, calling themselves Christians, con- 
duct in this manner, we think they are censurable, and 
no pity at all ought to be had for them. 

It appears that one of the whites had married one of 
Philip's countrymen ; and they, the pilgrims, said he 
was a traitor, and therefore they said he must die. So 
they quartered him ; and as history informs us, they 
said, he being a heathen, but a few tears were shed at 
his funeral. Here, then, because a man would not 



43 



turn and fight against his own wife and family, or leave 
them, he was condemned as an heathen. We presume 
that no honest men will commend those ancient fathers, 
for such absurd conduct. Soon after this, Philip and 
his men left that part of the country, and retired farther 
back, near the Mohawks ; where, in July 1676, some 
of his men were slain by the Mohawks. Notwith- 
standing this, he strove to get them to join him ; and 
here it is said that Philip did not do that which was 
right ; that he killed some of the Mohawks and laid it 
to the whites, in order that he might get them to join 
him. If so, we cannot consistently believe he did right. 
But he was so exasperated that nothing but revenge 
would satisfy him. All this act was no worse than our 
political men do in our days, of their strife to wrong 
each other,. w T ho profess to be enlightened ; and all for 
the sake of carrying their points. Heathen-like, either 
by the sword, calumny or deception of every kind ; 
and the late duels among the called high men of honor, 
is sufficient to warrant my statements. But while we 
pursue our history in regard to Philip, we find that he 
made many successful attempts against the pilgrims, in 
surprising and driving them from their posts, during the 
year 1676, in February, and through till August, in 
which time many of the Christian Indians joined him. 
It is thought by many, that all would have joined him, 
if they had been left to their choice, as it appears they 
did not like their white brethren very well. It appears 
that Philip treated his prisoners with a great deal more 
Christian-like spirit than the pilgrims did ; even Mrs. 
Rolandson, although speaking with bitterness some- 



44 



times of the Indians, yet in her journal she speaks not 
a word against him. Philip even hires her to work for 
him, and pays her for her work, and then invites her to 
dine with him and to smoke with him. And we have 
many testimonies that he was kind to his prisoners ; and 
when the English wanted to redeem Philip's prisoners, 
they had the privilege. 

Now did Governor Winthrop, or any of those an- 
cient divines use any of his men so ? No. Was it 
known that they received any of their female captives 
into their houses and fed them ? No ; it cannot be 
found upon history. Were not the females completely 
safe, and none of them were violated, as they acknowl- 
edge themselves ? But was it so when the Indian wo- 
men fell into the hands of the pilgrims ? No. Did the 
Indians get a chance to redeem their prisoners ? No. 
But when they were taken, they were either compelled 
to turn traitors and join their enemies, or be butchered 
upon the spot. And this is the dishonest method that 
the famous Capt. Church used in doing his great ex- 
ploits ; and in no other way could he ever gained one 
battle. So after all, Church only owes his exploits to 
the honesty of the Indians, who told the truth, and to 
his own deceptive heart in duping them. Here it is to 
be understood, that the whites have always imposed 
upon the credulity of the Indians. It is with shame, I 
acknowledge, that I have to notice so much corruption 
of a people calling themselves Christians. If they were 
like my people, professing no purity at all, then their 
crimes would not appear to have such magnitude. But 
while they appear to be by profession more virtuous, 



45 



their crimes still blacken. It makes them truly to ap- 
pear to be like mountains filled with smoke ; and thick 
darkness covering them all around. 

But we have another dark and corrupt deed for the 
sons of the pilgrims to look at, and that is the fight and 
capture of Philip's son and wife, and many of his war- 
riors, in which Philip lost about 130 men killed and 
wounded; this was in August 1676. But the most 
horrid act was in taking Philip's son, about ten years 
of age, and selling him to be a slave away from his 
father and mother. While I am writing, 1 can hardly 
restrain my feelings, to think a people calling them- 
selves Christians, should conduct so scandalous, so out- 
rageous, making themselves appear so despicable in the 
eyes of the Indians ; and even now in this audience, I 
doubt not but there is men honorable enough to despise 
the conduct of those pretended Christians. And surely 
none but such as believe they did right, will ever go 
and undertake to celebrate that day of their landing, 
the 22d of December. Only look at it, then stop and 
pause. My fathers came here for liberty themselves, 
and then they must go and chain that mind, that im- 
age they professed to serve ; not content to rob and 
cheat the poor ignorant Indians, but must take one of 
the King's sons, and make a slave of him. Gentlemen 
and ladies, I blush at these tales, if you do not, espec- 
ially when they professed to be a free and humane peo- 
ple. Yes, they did ; they took a part of my tribe, and 
sold them to the Spaniards in Bermuda, and many 
others ; and then on the Sabbath day, these people 
would gather themselves together, and say that God i$ 



46 



no respecter of persons ; while the divines would pour 
forth, " he that says he loves God and hates his brother, 
is a liar, and the truth is not in him." And at the same 
time they hating and selling their fellow men in bondage. 
And there is no manner of doubt but that all my coun- 
trymen would have been enslaved if they had tamely 
submitted. But no sooner would they butcher every 
white man that come in their way, and even put an end 
to their own wives and children, and that was all that 
prevented them from being slaves ; yes, all. It was 
not the good will of those holy pilgrims that prevented, 
no. But I would speak, and I could wish it might 
be like the voice of thunder, that it might be heard 
afar off, even to the ends of the earth. He that will 
advocate slavery, is worse than a beast, is a being de- 
void of shame ; and has gathered around him the most 
corrupt and debasing principles in the world ; and I care 
not whether he be a minister or member of any church 
in the world ; no, not excepting the head men of the 
nation. And he that will not set his face against its 
corrupt principles, is a coward, and not worthy of be* 
ing numbered among men and Christians. And con- 
duct too that libels the laws of the country, and the 
word of God, that men profess to believe in. 

After Philip had his wife and son taken, sorrow fill- 
ed his heart ; but notwithstanding, as determined as 
ever to be revenged, though was pursued by the duped 
Indians and Church, into a swamp ; one of the men 
proposing to Philip that he had better make peace with 
the enemy, upon which he slew him upon the spot. 
And the pilgrims being also repulsed by Philip, were 



47 



forced to retreat with the loss of one man in particular, 
whose name was Thomas Lucas, of Plymouth. We 
rather suspect that he was some related to Lucas and 
Hedge, who made their famous speeches against the 
poor Marshpees, in 1834, in the Legislature, in Boston, 
against freeing them from slavery, that their fathers, 
the pilgrims, had made of them for years. 

Philip's forces had now become very small, so many 
having been duped away by the whites, and killed, 
that it was now easy surrounding him. Therefore, 
upon the 12th of August, Captain Church surrounded 
the swamp where Philip and his men had encamped, 
early in the morning, before they had risen, doubtless 
led on by an Indian who was either compelled or hired 
to turn traitor. Church had now placed his guard so 
that it was impossible for Philip to escape without being 
shot. It is doubtful, however, whether they would 
have taken him if he had not been surprised. Suffice 
it to say, however, this was the case. A sorrowful 
morning to the poor Indians, to lose such a valuable 
man. When coming out of the swamp, he was fired 
upon by an Indian, and killed dead upon the spot. 

I rejoice that it was even so, that the Pilgrims did 
not have the pleasure of tormenting him. The white 
man's gun missing fire lost the honor of killing the truly 
great man, Philip. The place where Philip fell was 
very muddy. Upon this news, the Pilgrims gave three 
cheers ; then Church ordering his body to be pulled 
out of the mud, while one of those tender-hearted 
Christians exclaims, what a dirty creature he looks like. 
And we have also Church's speech upon that subject, 



48 



as follows : For as much as he has caused many a pil- 
grim to lie above ground unburied, to rot, not one of 
his bones shall be buried. With him fell five of his 
best and most trusty men ; one the son of a chief, who 
fired the first gun in the war. 

Captain Church now orders him to be cut up. Ac- 
cordingly, he was quartered and hung up upon four 
trees ; his head and one hand given to the Indian who 
shot him, to carry about to show. At which sight it so 
overjoyed the pilgrims, that they would give him money 
for it y and in this way obtained a considerable sum. 
After which, his head was sent to Plymouth, and ex- 
posed upon a gibbet for twenty years ; and his hand to 
Boston, where it was exhibited in savage triumph ; and 
his mangled body denied a resting place in the tomb, 
as thus adds the poet, 

" Cold with the beast he slew, he sleeps, 
O'er him no filial spirit weeps." 

I think that as a matter of honor, that 1 can rejoice 
that no such evil conduct is recorded of the Indians ; 
that they never hung up any of the white warriors, who 
were head men. And we add the famous speech of 
Dr. Increase Mather ; he says, during the bloody con- 
test, the pious fathers wrestled hard and long with their 
God, in prayer, that he would prosper their arms, and 
deliver their enemies into their hands. And when upon 
stated days of prayer, the Indians got the advantage, it 
was considered as a rebuke of divine providence, (we 
suppose the Indian prayed best then,) which stimulat- 
ed them to more ardor. And on the contrary, when 
they prevailed, they considered it as an immediate in- 



49 



terposition in their favor. The Doctor -closes thus : 
Nor could they, the pilgrims, cease crying to the Lord 
against Philip, until they had prayed the bullet through 
his heart. And in speaking of the slaughter of Philip's 
people at Narraganset, he says. We have heard of two 
and twenty Indian captains slain, all of them, and brought 
down to hell in one day. Again, in speaking of a Chief 
who had sneered at the pilgrims' religion, and who had 
withal, added a most hideous blasphemy, Immediately 
upon which a bullet took him in the head, and dashed 
out his brains, sending his cursed soul in a moment 
among the devils and blasphemers in hell forever. It 
is true that this language is sickening, and is as true as 
the sun is in the heavens, that such language was made 
use of, and it was a common thing for all the pilgrims 
to curse the Indians, according to the order of their 
priests. It is also wonderful how they prayed, that 
they should pray the bullet through the Indian's heart, 
and their souls down into hell. If I had any faith in 
such prayers, I should begin to think that soon we should 
all be gone. However, if this is the way they pray, 
that is bullets through people's hearts, I hope they will 
not pray for me ; 1 should rather be excused. But to 
say the least, there is no excuse for their ignorance how 
to treat their enemies, and pray for them. If the Dr. 
and his people had only turned to the 23d of Luke, 
and 34th verse, and heard the words of their Master, 
whom they pretended to follow, they would see that 
their course did utterly condemn them ; or the 7th of 
Acts, and 60th verse, and heard the language of the 
pious Stephen, we think it vastly different from the pil- 
5 



50 

grims ; he prayed, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge- 
No curses were heard from these pious martyrs. 

I do not hesitate to say, that through the prayers, 
preaching, and examples of those pretended pious, has 
been the foundation of all the slavery and degradation in 
the American Colonies, towards colored people. Ex- 
perience has taught me that this has been a most sorry 
and wretched doctrine to us poor ignorant Indians. I 
will mention two or three things to amuse you a little ; 
that is, as I was passing through Connecticut, about 15 
years ago, where they are so pious that they kill the 
cats for killing rats, and whip the beer barrels for work- 
ing upon the Sabbath, that in a severe cold night, when 
the face of the earth was one glare of ice, dark and 
stormy, I called at a man's house to know if I could 
not stay with him, it being about nine miles to the house 
where I then lived, and knowing him to be a rich man, 
and with all very pious, knowing if he had a mind he 
could do it comfortably, and with all we were both mem- 
bers of one church. My reception, however, was al- 
most as cold as the weather, only he did not turn me 
out of doors ; if he had I know not but I should have 
frozen to death. My situation was a little better than 
being out, for he allowed a little wood, but no bed, be- 
cause I was an Indian. Another Christian asked me to 
dine with him, and put my dinner behind the door; I 
thought this a queer compliment indeed. 

About two years ago, I called at an inn in Lexington ; 
and a gentleman present, not spying me to be an Indian, 
began to say they ought to be exterminated. I took it 
up in our defence, though not boisterous, but coolly ; 



51 



and when we came to retire, finding that I was an In- 
dian, he was unwilling to sleep opposite my room, for 
fear of being murdered before morning. We presume 
his conscience plead guilty. These things I mention 
to show that the doctrines of the pilgrims has grown up 
with the people. 

But not to forget Philip and his lady, and his proph- 
ecy : it is, (that is 1671,) when Philip went to Bos- 
ton, his clothing was worth nearly one hundred dollars. 
It is said by some of the writers in those days, that their 
money being so curiously wrought, that neither Jew 
nor devil could counterfeit it. A high encomium upon 
Indian arts ; and w 7 ith it they used to adorn their Saga- 
mores, in a curious manner. It was said that Philip's 
wife was neatly attired in the Indian style ; some of 
the white females used to call her a proud woman, be- 
cause she would not bow down to them, and was so 
particular in adorning herself. Perhaps while these la- 
dies were so careful to review the Queen, they had for- 
got that she was truly one of the greatest women there 
was among them, although not quite so white. But 
while we censure others for their faults, in spending so 
much time to view their fair and handsome features, 
whether colored or white, we would remind all the fair 
sex it is what they all love, that is jewels and feathers. 
It was what the Indian women used to love, and still 
love. And customs, we presume, that the whites 
brought from their original savage fathers, 1000 years 
ago. Every white that knows their own history, knows 
there was not a whit difference between them and the 
Indians of their days, 



52 



But who was Philip, that made all this display in the 
world ; that put an enlightened nation to flight, and won 
so many battles ? It was a son of nature ; with nature's 
talent alone. And who did he have to contend with ? 
With all the combined arts of cultivated talents of the 
old and new world. It was like putting one talent 
against a thousand. And yet Philip with that, accom- 
plished more than all of them. Yea, he out-did the 
well-disciplined forces of Greece, under the command 
of Philip, the Grecian Emperor ; for he never was 
enabled to lay such plans of allying the tribes of the 
earth together, as Philip of Mount Hope did. And 
even Napoleon patterned after him, in collecting his 
forces and surprising the enemy. Washington, too, 
pursued many of his plans in attacking the enemy, and 
thereby enabled him to defeat his antagonists and con- 
quer them. What, then, shall we say ; shall we not 
do right to say that Philip, with his one talent, out-strips 
them all with their ten thousand ? No warrior of any 
age, was ever known to pursue such plans as Philip 
did. And it is well known that Church and nobody 
else could have conquered, if his people had not used 
treachery, which was owing to their ignorance ; and 
after all, it is a fact, that it was not the pilgrims that 
conquered him, it was Indians. And as to his benevo- 
lence, it was very great ; no one in history can accuse 
Philip of being cruel to his conquered foes ; that he 
used them with more hospitality than they, the pilgrims 
did, cannot be denied ; and that he had knowledge and 
forethought, cannot be denied. As Mr. Gooking, in 
speaking of Philip says, that he was a man of good un- 



53 



derstanding and knowledge in the best things. Mr, 
Gooking it appears was a benevolent man, and a friend 
to Indians. 

How deep then was the thought of Philip, when he 
could look from Maine to Georgia, and from the ocean 
to the lakes, and view with one look all his brethren 
withering before the more enlightened to come ; and 
how true his prophesy, that the white people would not 
only cut down their groves, but would enslave them. 
Had the inspiration of Isaiah been there, he could not 
have been more correct. Our groves and hunting 
grounds are gone, our dead are dug up, our council- 
fires are put out, and a foundation was laid in the first 
Legislature, to enslave our people, by taking from them 
all rights which has been strictly adhered to ever since. 
Look at the disgraceful laws, disfranchising us as citi- 
zens. Look at the treaties made by Congress, all bro- 
ken. Look at the deep-rooted plans laid, when a ter- 
ritory becomes a State, that after so many years, the 
laws shall be extended over the Indians that live within 
their boundaries. Yea, every charter that has been 
given, was given with the view of driving the Indians 
out of the States, or dooming them to become chained 
under desperate laws, that would make them drag out 
a miserable life as one chained to the galley ; and this 
is the course that has been pursued for nearly two hun- 
dred years. A fire, a canker, created by the pilgrims 
from across the Atlantic, to burn and destroy my poor 
unfortunate brethren, and it cannot be denied. What 
then shall we do, shall we cease crying, and say it is 
all wrong, or shall we bury the hatchet and those unjust 
5* 



54 



laws, and Plymouth Rock together, and become friends. 
And will the sons of the pilgrims aid in putting out the 
fire and destroying the canker that will ruin all that their 
fathers left behind them to destroy ? (by this we see 
how true Philip spake.) If so, we hope we shall not 
hear it said from ministers and church members, that we 
are so good no other people can live with us, as you 
know it is a common thing for them to say, Indians 
cannot live among Christian people ; no, even the Pres- 
ident of the United States tells the Indians they cannot 
live among civilized people, and w 7 e want your lands, 
and must have them, and will have them. As if he 
had said to them, we want your lands for our use to 
speculate upon, it aids us in paying off our national 
debt and supporting us in Congress, to drive you off. 

You see, my red children, that our fathers carried on 
this scheme of getting your lands for our use, and we 
have now become rich and powerful ; and we have a 
right to do with you just as we please ; we claim to be 
your fathers. And we think we shall do you a great 
favor, my dear sons and daughters, to drive you out, to 
get you away out of the reach of our civilized people, 
who are cheating you, for we have no law to reach 
them, we cannot protect you although you be our chil- 
dren. So it is no use, you need not cry, you must go, 
even if the lions devour you, for we promised the land 
you have to somebody else long ago, perhaps twenty 
or thirty years ; and we did it without your consent, 
it is true. But this has been the way our fathers first 
brought us up, and it is hard to depart from it ; there- 
fore you shall have no protection from us. Now while 



55 



we sum up this subject. Does it not appear that the 
cause of all wars from beginning to end, was and is for 
the want of good usage ? That the whites have always 
been the aggressors, and the wars, cruelties and blood 
shed is a job of their own seeking, and not the Indians ? 
Did you ever know of Indians' hurting those who was 
kind to them ? No. We have a thousand witnesses 
to the contrary. Yea, every male and female declare 
it to be the fact. We often hear of the wars breaking 
out upon the frontiers, and it is because the same spirit 
reigns there that reigned here in New England ; and 
wherever there are any Indians, that spirit still reigns ; 
and at present, there is no law to stop it. What, then, 
is to be done ; let every friend of the Indians now 
seize the mantle of Liberty and throw it over those 
burning elements that has spread with such fearful ra- 
pidity, and at once extinguish them forever. It is true, 
that now and then a feeble voice has been raised in our 
favor. Yes, we might speak of distinguished men, but 
they fall so far short in the minority, that it is heard but 
at a small distance. We want trumpets that sound like 
thunder, and men to act as though they were going at 
war with those corrupt and degrading principles that 
robs one of all rights, merely because he is ignorant, 
and of a little different color. Let us have principles 
that will give every one his due ; and then shall wars 
cease, and the weary find rest. Give the Indian his 
rights, and you may be assured war will cense. 

But, by this time you have been enabled to see that 
Philip's prophesy has come to pass ; therefore, as a 
man of natural abilities, 1 shall pronounce him the 



56 



greatest man that was ever in America ; and so it will 
stand, until he is proved to the contrary, to the ever- 
lasting disgrace of the pilgrims' fathers. 

We will now give you his language in the Lord's 
Prayer. 

Noo-chun kes-uk-qut-tiam-at-am unch koo-we-su- 
onk, kuk-ket-as-soo-tam-oonk pey-au-moo-utch, keet- 
te-nan-tam-oo-onk ne nai ; ne-ya-ne ke-suk-qutkah oh- 
ke-it ; aos-sa-ma-i-in-ne-an ko-ko-ke-suk-o-da-e nut-as- 
e-suk-ok-ke fu-tuk-qun-neg ; kah ah-quo-an-tam-a-i-in- 
ne-an num-match-e-se-ong—an-on-ash, ne-match-ene- 
na-mun wonk neet-ah-quo-antam-au-o-un-non-og nish- 
noh pasuk noo-na-mortuk-quoh-who-nan, kah chaque 
sag-kom-pa-ginne-an en quteh-e-het-tu-ong-a-nit, qut 
poh-qud-wus-sin-ne-an watch match-i-tut. 

Having now given historical facts, and an exposition 
in relation to ancient times, by which we have been 
enabled to discover the foundation which destroyed our 
common fathers, in their struggle together ; it was in- 
deed nothing more than the spirit of avarice and usur- 
pation of power, that has brought people in all ages to 
hate and devour each other. And I cannot for one 
moment look back upon what is past, and call it religion. 
No, it has not the least appearance like it. Do not 
then wonder, my dear friends, at my bold and unpol- 
ished statements ; though I do not believe that truth 
wants any polishing whatever. And I can assure you, 
that T have no design to tell an untruth, but facts alone. 
Oft have I been surprised at the conduct of those who 
pretend to be Christians, to see how they were affected 
towards those who were of a different cast, professing 



57 



one faith. Yes, the spirit of degradation has always 
been exercised towards us poor and untaught people. 
If we cannot read, we can see and feel ; and we find 
no excuse in the Bible for Christians conducting to- 
wards us as they do. 

It is said that in the Christian's guide, that God is 
merciful, and they that are his followers are like him. 
How much mercy do you think has been shown towards 
Indians, their wives and their children ? Not much, we 
think. No. And ye fathers, I will appeal to you that 
are white. Have you any regard for your wives and 
children, for those delicate sons and daughters ? Would 
you like to see them slain and laid in heaps, and their 
bodies devoured by the vultures and wild beasts of 
prey ? and their bones bleaching in the sun and air, till 
they moulder away, or were covered by the falling 
leaves of the forest, and not resist ? No. Your hearts 
would break with grief, and with all the religion and 
knowledge you have, it would not impede your force 
to take vengeance upon your foe, that had so cruelly 
conducted thus, although God has forbid you in so db- 
ing. For he has said, vengeance is mine, and I will 
repay. What, then, my dear affectionate friends, can 
you think of those who have been so often betrayed, 
routed and stripped of all they possess, of all their 
kindred in the flesh ? Can, or do you think we 
have no feeling ? The speech of Logan, the white 
man's friend, is no doubt fresh in your memory, that 
he intended to live and die the friend of the white 
man ; that he always fed them and gave them the 
best his cabin afforded ; and he appealed to them if 



58 



they had not been well used ; to which they never 
denied. After which, they murdered all of his family 
in cool blood ; which roused his passions to be reveng- 
ed upon the whites. This circumstance is but one in 
a thousand. 

Upon the banks of Ohio, a party of two hundred 
white warriors, in 1757, or about that time, came across 
a settlement of Christian Indians, and falsely accused 
them of being warriors ; to which they denied, but all 
to no purpose ; they were determined to massacre them 
all. They, the Indians, then asked liberty to prepare 
for the fatal hour. The white savages then gave them 
one hour, as the historian said. They then prayed to- 
gether ; and in tears and cries, upon their knees, begged 
pardon of each other, of all they had done. After 
which, they informed the white savages that they 
were now ready. One white man then begun with a 
mallet, and knocked them down, and continued his 
work until he had killed fifteen^with fiis own hand ; 
then saying it ached, he gave his commission to another. 
And thus they continued till they had massacred nearly 
ninety men, women and children, all these innocent of 
any crime. What sad tales are these for us to look 
upon the massacre of our dear fathers, mothers, brothers 
and sisters ; and if we speak, we are then called sava- 
ges for complaining. Our affections for each other, are 
the same as yours ; we think as much of ourselves as 
you do of yourselves. When our children are sick, we 
do all we can for them ; they lie buried deep in our 
affections ; if they die, w r e remember it long, and mourn 
in after years. Children also cleave to their parents ; 



BG 1 0. 5 



59 



they look to them for aid, they do the best they know 
how to do for each other ; and when strangers come 
among us, we use them as well as we know how ; we 
feel honest in whatever we do, we have no desire to 
offend any one. But when we are so deceived, it spoils 
all our confidence in our visitors. And although I can 
say that I have some dear, good friends among white 
people, yet I eye them with a jealous eye, for fear they 
will betray me. Having been deceived so much by 
them, how can I help it ; being brought up to look 
upon white people as being enemies and not friends, 
and by the whites treated as such, who can wonder? 
Yes, in vain have I looked for the Christian to take me 
by the hand and bid me welcome to his cabin, as my 
fathers did them, before we were bom ; and if they did, 
it was only to satisfy curiosity, and not to look upon me 
as a man and a Christian. And so all of my people 
have been treated, whether Christians or not. I say 
then, a different course must be pursued, and different 
laws must be enacted, and all men must operate under 
one general law. And while you ask yourselves, what 
do they, the Indians, want ? you have only to look at 
the unjust laws made for them, and say they want what 
I want, in order to make men of them, good and whole- 
some citizens. And this plan ought to be pursued by 
all missionaries, or not pursued at all. That is not only 
to make Christians of us, but men ; which plan as yet 
has never been pursued. And when it is, I will then 
throw my might upon the side of missions, and do what 
I can to favor it. But this work must begin here first, 
in New England. 



60 



Having now closed, I would say that many thanks is 
due from me to you, though an unworthy speaker, for 
your kind attention ; and I wish you to understand that 
we are thankful for every favor ; and you and I have 
to rejoice that we have not to answer for our fathers' 
crimes, neither shall we do right to charge them one to 
another. We can only regret it, and flee from it, and 
from henceforth, let peace and righteousness be written 
upon our hearts and hands forever, is the wish of a 
poor Indian. 



ERRATA. 

In the Frontispiece, the man at the head of Philip, should be an 
Indian.... Page 12, ninth line from bottom, read did, instead of do.... 
Page 23, first line of the Poetry, read A mighty, instead of Almighty. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRFcq 

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